Here’s a peak at my third-floor veggie patch. It’s pretty utilitarian. There’s no room for a barbecue or even a chair. Heck, squeezing between the planters can be a challenge. But we’ve got other spaces for those fripperies. This balcony is dedicated to production. And boy, it’s productive. Everything is grown in containers, and this […]
Veggies & Edibles
Now harvesting: mid-July
Would you look at that craziness? Someone ought to get their plot under control. Oh wait, that’s my whacked-out bed. The arugula is flowering and flopping, the radishes have flower stalks as thick as woody perennials, and the lettuce is so crowded it’s getting claustrophobic. Despite the seeming neglect, I’ve actually been harvesting from this, […]
First strawberry!
It feels like I’m a little late to the party, what with this being mid-July and all, but I’m just harvesting my first strawberries now. Guess what? It was worth the wait.
Lawns to Loaves wheat field update
In May, along with some friends, I planted part of a City-owned lot with Red Spring wheat as part of Lawns to Loaves, an experiment in urban agriculture (a project, I’ll add, that has been quite controversial). The hubbub has subsided, but the grain’s still growing. Seven weeks later, we’ve got ourselves a wheat field. […]
‘Sungold’ tomato
‘Sungold’ tomato wins the Great First to Ripen Race of 2011. Growing alongside fellow hybrid ‘Super Bush’ as well as heirlooms ‘Black Krim’ and ‘Radiator Charlie’s Mortgage Lifter,’ this little orange cherry tomato easily beat out the pack in terms of earliness. Such an unexpected treat; who knew there had been enough sun to ripen […]
How to grow radishes and make grilled tuna with radish salsa
Every month, Heavy Petal collaborates with Willowtree — a website for those with food sensitivities who want to find their culinary bliss — to bring you a celebration of an in-season edible. I’ll tell you how to grow it; they’ll tell you how to eat it. Yay! With such a slow start to summer and […]
Growing mushrooms indoors using a kit
Ever lamented the fact that you don’t have enough sun to grow food? Rejoice! There are edibles you can grow in shade—even indoors (and it’s definitely easier than making a mushroom log). Here’s how to grow mushrooms indoors using a mushroom kit. Last month, on my birthday, I picked up a few things to make […]
Oh, and peas
Can’t believe I forgot to mention the peas! We have peas. Lots of ’em, in fact. These are ‘Sugar Ann,’ a snap pea that grows to about 2ft. tall (and thus doesn’t require staking. Yay!) Are you growing peas this year? What are your favourite varieties? And one more thing: Sugar Snaps! Yippee!